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Credit: DisneyDisney World has confirmed more large-scale closures for Hollywood Studios, including the park’s divisive Star Wars-themed experience.
Related: Disney World Ends COVID-Era Restriction After 1,900+ Days
Disney World has announced that a new attraction called “The Magic of Disney Animation” will replace Star Wars: Launch Bar at Hollywood Studios. The entire Animation Courtyard area of the park will be reimagined into a new area called “The Walt Disney Studios.” This new area takes inspiration from Disney’s real-life studio buildings in Burbank, California.
Animation Courtyard and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! are set to permanently close on September 25, 2025.
“Our story in this newly reimagined space begins as the animators have temporarily stepped away… but the building is still buzzing with activity as the characters have come to life and they’re ready to play,” states Disney in an official release.
Inside “The Magic of Disney Animation,” guests will be able to interact and explore a fun take on Disney’s animation headquarters. Disney is heavily promoting interactivity with this new experience. Guests will be able to see portraits come to life just as they did in Once Upon a Studio, the live-action/animation hybrid short film created to celebrate 100 years of Disney magic.
Visitors will be able to learn how to draw their own characters at “The Magic of Disney Animation.” Disney has also teased “lots” of character greetings for the new area.
Guests will still be able to enjoy showings of The Little Mermaid Musical Adventure, which opened earlier this year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
“The Magic of Disney Animation” opens in 2026.
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This project comes amid a whirlwind of other updates to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with work now underway on the park’s Monstropolis expansion. This new Monsters Inc.-themed land takes over the space formerly occupied by Muppets Courtyard. Attractions and locations like Muppet*Vision 3D and Mama Melrose Ristorante Italiano closed permanently earlier this summer to make way for Monstropolis.
Disney announced the land during the company’s D23 showcase in 2024. In its announcement, Disney used two pieces of concept art, each one showing a different location for Monstropolis. One appeared to show the new location taking over Muppets Courtyard, while the other artwork pointed toward the new land taking over Animation Courtyard.
Disney would not clarify wether or not Muppets Courtyard would be closing until months later. Of course, we now know that Muppets Courtyard was eventually chosen for Monstropolis, but it’s definitely interesting to see that both it and Animation Courtyard will end up getting makeovers.
Monstropolis will feature several new experiences for guests to enjoy. At the top of the list is a new suspended roller coaster, a first for Walt Disney World. The Monsters Inc.-themed location is expected to open sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all Disney World news and updates.